Joseph Allen Stein was an American architect who worked extensively in India from 1952 until his death in 2001. He is renowned for designing several important buildings in India in a modern regionalist style that incorporated local materials and drew from Indian architectural traditions. Some of his most notable works include the India International Center, India Habitat Center, Triveni Kala Sangam arts center, and buildings at the Lodhi Estate in Delhi.
2. BIOGRAPHY
Joseph Allen Stein was born on April 10,
1912, in Omaha, Nebraska. He studied
architecture at the University of Illinois.
In 1952 he moved to India, and became head
of the department of architecture at
the Bengal Engineering College in Calcutta.
He worked in New Delhi from 1955 onwards.
He was awarded the Padma Shri, India's
fourth highest civilian honor, in 1992.
3. He is noted for designing several important
buildings in India, most notably in Lodhi Estate
in Central Delhi, nicknamed "Steinabad" after
him, and where today the 'Joseph Stein Lane',
is the only road in Delhi named after an
architect
4. WORKS
the headquarters of the Ford Foundation, Unicef and
the World Wide Fund for Nature
a conference center called the India International
Center (1959–62)
the India Habitat Center for housing and environmental
studies.
Gandhi-King Plaza, an open-air memorial in IIC
Triveni Kala Sangam Arts center, New Delhi, India.
the American International School
the Australian high commission in Chanakyapuri
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode campus, Kerala
Kashmir Conference Center, srinagar
Four factories for Escorts Ltd., Faridabad
5. PHILOSOPHY
Mr stein brought a california modernism
sensitivity to the country. His approach is
called modern regionalism.
According to him “regional without modern is
reactionary, and modern without regional is
insensitive, inappropriate.”
His second guiding factor was to seek the
character of the solution in the nature of the
problem.
6. He realised the impact development was having
on the ecology and his designs sought to find
harmony. The only possible solution was along
Gandhian lines- simple and ecologically gentle
solutions.
Mr Stein’s designs were modernistic, but
inspired by India’s past.
He was good at working with local materials, be
it granite or glazed tiles, both influences of
Tughlaq architecture. He also used jalis in most
of his works.
In the wider landscape of nature, he used local
materials where he tried to merge his buildings
with nature
7. He typically designed two- to four-storey buildings
that fused with the surrounding trees, gardens and
pools; flowers and vines would spill over the walls.
He would have vertical gardens, courtyards covered
with trees and plants, ponds blooming with lotuses,
and vast landscaped lawns. He was described as
“building in the garden”.
8. INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTER
Founded in 1958
Inaugurated in
1962
It is a unique
establishment in
that it serves as a
meeting place for
the various cultural
and intellectual
offerings the city
has to offer
9. PLAN
The center is composed of stein’s individually articulated blocks-
46 guest rooms, lounge and dining room in one
Programmed blocks of library and offices, domed auditorium are all grouped
around two great courts
12. Plants in courtyard
Paving pattern
Fountain sculptures
Exposed brickwork
Precast concrete panels
Window and shading devices of
diff sizes
The surfaces and materials Stein
used: local stone, cast
concrete jalis, blue and green
ceramic tiles as highlights, were
an updating of the Sultanate
architecture of Delhi, which Stein
had learned to love and admire
through weekly exploration.
13. INDIA HABITAT CENTER
It is a multipurpose building in New Delhi, India.
Mixing work, commercial and social spaces, it is
India’s most comprehensive convention centre
14. There are 5 main building blocks
which are interconnected by
means of aerial walkways.
The offices of TERI, Housing &
Urban Development Corporation
Ltd. (HUDCO), National Housing
Bank (NHB), Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII), International
Labour Organization (ILO), etc are
located within the premises
15. DESIGN CONCEPT
The height of the building is
around 30m high. The entire
facade is cladded with red bricks
which give a majestic look to the
structure. Vertical and Horizontal
ribbon windows have been used
with a special glass that restricts
the entry of sunlight.
17. COURTYARD
Building are grouped around
climate temperate courts
shade by overhead sun
screens and enlivened by
vertical gardens
18. SHADING DEVICE
The reflectors are
installed above the
building to provide
shade and prevent
sun from entering
into the building.
The reflectors are
aligned at an angle
which reflect back
70% of the sunlight
and change their
angle during winter
to allow sunlight to
fall on the windows.
19. USER EXPERIENCE
Wonderful construction with
garden courtyard! It’s so
spacious and leaving Way for
free air, sunlight and green
space.
Always love to visit the IHC
for its cool and comforting
atmosphere. What a
wonderful architecture. I also
enjoy eating at the two food
courts here.
Wonderful work. The
grandure, cool and
comfortable atmosphere and
the livelyness of the campus
is the main achievement of
this great Architect.
20. TRIVENI KALA SANGAM
A huge cultural complex with 4 different galleries-
Triveni kala sangam house
The sri dharni gallery
Triveni gallery
Sculpture court and art heritage
23. AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER’S RESIDENCE
The Australian High
Commissioner’s
Residence was built
in the late 1950s in
the Chanakyapuri
district of New Delhi
24. Local design details,
such as
stone jalis combined
with large expanses of
glass in a way that
respected both
traditional knowledge
and modernist
principles.
The current High
Commissioner’s wife said that
the house was a joy to inhabit,
the space flowing around the
splendid central hall and each
room feeling airy and open,
with ready access to the
outside.
25. GANDHI KING PLAZA
The Gandhi-King Plaza is
a little garden at one
corner of the India
International Centre.
There is a brick pillar whose
four sides are inscribed with
the sayings of Mahatma
Gandhi and Martin Luther King
26. There two pilkhand trees,
giving the plaza a
permanent shade.
The space created
under the canopy is
used for exhibition
and similar events .
27. As expressed in a blog
“Be it the two trees, the cane
chairs, the stony landscape,
the bird chatter, or the lovely
pool, they all intermingle to
create a Macondo of the
mind, a place with no contact
with the outside world. ”
28. CONCLUSION
His legacy is that of living architecture -
human in scale with spaces, which soothe
and inspire.
In a world of falling standards , his work
remains exceptional .
29. REFERENCES
BOOKS
White, Stephen(1993). The architecture of Joseph
Allen Stein in India and California. Oxford University
Press
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
An American In Delhi(2011, Sept 2). Mint Newspaper
Stein’s gone but his works live on (2001, Oct 8)
Times Of India
Obituary – A built legacy:Joseph Allen Stein (2001,
Nov 10) The Hindu
30. WEBSITES
Joseph Allen Stein (n.d.) Retreived Aug 5 2014
from en:wikipedia.org/wiki/joseph_allen_stein
The Biological Dictionary of Delhi-Joseph Allen
Stein b.Oncaha, 1912-2001 (sept 7,2011)
Retreived from
www.thedelhiwala.com/2011/09/07/the-
biographical-dictonary-of-delhi-1912-2001
Editor's Notes
In San Francisco, he designed modest homes in the California style, but also became increasingly interested in the issues of low cost housing.
With the outbreak of the Korean war and the rise of McCarthyism in 1950, he felt the need to find a location where his talent as an architect could be more freely expressed, and so left the US.
Many Indian architects worked with Stein and were influenced by him, especially in terms of sensitivity to material. “From him, I learned perseverance, not letting my building principles be swayed by clients,” says Praveen Vashisht, who worked with Stein in the early 1980s and whose firm looks after Stein buildings such as Triveni Kala Sangam in Delhi and the Express Towers in Mumbai. “He believed in the straightforward expression of the intent of the building and how it was related to the site.”
The new buildings, with their blinding glass façades, are all examples of architecture working against nature. “Why do we always want our buildings to be sensational and stunning?” asks Ms Jalil. “Why are we not able to see a beauty that is subdued and understated?” She is sitting at Gandhi-King Plaza. Two giant pilkhand trees, planted by the master architect himself, give permanent shade. Every element calms you.
Being an essentially shy man, Stein did not push to publicize his work or publish as widely as he should have. He preferred to have his work speak by example, and also showed by example how to live a complete life honest to one's own beliefs.
Mr Stein foresaw what the juggernaut of progress would do to the delicate balance of ecosystems; his designs sought to find harmony. In an interview in 1982, he said: “India has intense and sharply drawn environmental problems. There is probably no possibility of solutions here except along what may be called Gandhian lines, which means essentially seeking simple and ecologically gentle solutions.”
In a world of falling standards, his work remains exceptional.
In 1952, Mr Stein arrived in Calcutta as a professor of architecture. India under prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru was a liberal land open to ideas and hungry for progress. Mahatama Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore lived on in people’s minds. Their ideals of creative thinking and simple living shaped Mr Stein’s philosophy of integrating man-made construction with nature’s expressiveness
It provides three activity streams:
The Intellectual Stream, which is supported with the organization of seminars, symposia, meetings, discussions, and a well stocked library that also helps publish papers.
The Cultural Stream, through events like dance recitals, film screenings, and drama.
The Social Stream, through its hostel and catering facilities which brings together people in a pleasant setting.
Other spaces
Auditorium-
Hexagonal. For 240 persons. Small stage mainly for delivering lectures.
Exhibition area-
Conference room- 40 persons
Library , guest room , hostel , general and private dining and bar, restaurant
PLAN the first, or entrance court, provides access on the north side to the guest room
on the south to the auditorium and programmed block of library and offices
Passing through the portico ,the visitor enters into the main courtyard and then into the gardens of the ,which the rear and the north of the sides of the site
The surrounding north wing of survices and the west wingof the guest –rooms have been raised up on piers, bringing the Lodi tombs into framed view and creating a large verandah beneath. N
The guest –room wing has also been given a curved form which approaches and then recedes away from the Lodi gardens site boundary.
COURTYARD AND GARDENSThe India international centre is conceived as design of interrelated interior and shaded space courtyards and gardens.
Each courtyard and garden at theIIC has a difference function and aspect.
It is a complex of institutional and office spaces , conference sand library facility for groups involved with environment and habitat issues
architect Joseph Allen Stein decided to radically change the traditional image of an office building as an architectural project and transformed it into an urban design project.. Constructed on nine acres in an urban area, the building eschewed traditional building materials and technique
The Habitat Centre would be a home not only to those offices and research organizations but in order to facilitate their interaction, the centre provides a range of facilities like conference venues, exhibition halls, seminar rooms, restaurants and performance venues for cultural activities.
Habitat Centre is conceived to provide a physical environment which would serve as a catalyst for a synergic relationship between individuals and institutions working in diverse habitat related areas and therefore, maximize the total effectiveness.
The space was designed to permit the members of the Centre to share services both inside and outside the building with multiple courtyards, common meeting rooms, shared parking area, library, restaurants, museum, and hotels, some of which are open to the general public
The creation of a green and healthy environment forms the backbone of the complex
The courts are elevated on plinth over a car parking so that a series of pleasant civic spaces for pedestrians are created These spaces become semi enclosed atrium like area ssuitable for a variety of functions including exhibitions, displays and conferences
The main attraction is the remarkable courtyard within the building which is filled with trees and greenery which creates an image of garden with well-planned air ventilation within the building.
Given the heat of the Indian summer, many of the exterior spaces are shaded by delicate blue patio covers, casting intricate shadows and further blurring the distinction between inside and out
The courtyards are planted with a pleasing array of greenery – large pots and beds of evergreen shrubs and tall trees, providing a more human feel and scale amongst the concrete monumentality.
Stein’s design is beautifully simple. Using local materials and with a deep understanding of the harsh Delhi climate, he produced a house that related perfectly to the lush green landscape in which it sat.
The Gandhi-King Plaza is a snug little garden at one corner of the India International Centre (IIC), Delhi’s so-called intellectual hub.
there is no showiness of the next-door Lodhi Garden: no exotic flowers, no grassy expanse, no scenic ruin. Instead, every element here conspires to un-excite your feelings and lull them into tranquility.
The plaza allows you to see and feel what you want to. Everything else is screened off, like the sunlight.
